


Late Night Q&A

by rainydayribbons



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M, Sleepiness, Sleeping Together, Yotsuba Arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24954634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainydayribbons/pseuds/rainydayribbons
Summary: "I'm not confessing to being Kira in order to get some sleep. I don't care how tired I am.""Yes, a confession would be the most ideal outcome, I must admit." L inched closer on the bed, noticing that Light had now scooched over a little after becoming more alert. "I'm sure you're not that desperate, though. That said, I would be just as interested to learn anything that you would be willing to supply. Whether or not I believe you is a different matter."---A simple fic where L gets Light to talk about himself in order for them to fall asleep.
Relationships: L & Yagami Light, L/Yagami Light
Comments: 12
Kudos: 217





	Late Night Q&A

**Author's Note:**

> in which i write this and cry over L and light and their fucking bond and the yotsuba arc. stupid idiots handcuffed together. i love tender shit. hope y'all like it!

"Ryuzaki, will you  _ please _ take a break and go to sleep?" Light whined from across the room, covering his head with a pillow in order to drown out the repetitive clacking of L's fingers against a bulky keyboard. The chain clinking with every movement certainly didn't help make matters any better. It was nearly 3 AM, and this was about as late as Light was willing to put up with when it came to being thrown off his sleep schedule.

"Hmm..." L seemed to ponder halfheartedly. It was almost hard to tell if he had actually processed Light's request at all, or if he was passively dismissing it. There was never a pause in his typing, either. "Perhaps I could use a break. I've reached a null point, either way." L propelled himself away from the desk using his feet, sliding the rolling chair outward and rattling their chain in the process.

"Hey — careful! I better not fall off this bed because of you!" Light huffed, but this annoyance only lasted a few seconds, because truthfully, he was relieved to be able to fall asleep without any distracting sounds.

Or so he hoped.

Without any tasks, L wandered around the bedroom like a lost dog. He would get up from his chair and pace, then move to sitting on the floor, then plop down on the bed that Light was currently attempting to rest in, and repeat the process for as long as he could test Light's patience. All these small actions added up, amplified by the sound of handcuffs clinging and feet shuffling against the ground. 

"So are you purposefully annoying, or does it just come naturally?" Light finally snapped at him, raising his body slightly from its blanket cocoon.

L stopped mid-pace and froze, maintaining direct eye contact. "Both." He replied with a slight smile. His stance made him look almost as if he were caught stealing dessert from the fridge. 

Meanwhile, Light's face remained unamused, eventually breaking away from his gaze to sigh. "Don't you ever sleep?" Light asked simply. The tone of his question came out more genuinely than expected - it surprised Light just as much as L. However, he chalked it up to no longer having the energy to feel grumpy, since all he really wanted was to sleep.

"Yes, of course I do," L pressed a thumb against his lips as he continued to mull this over, not noticing that he was beginning to walk towards the bed as he moved on autopilot, "I'm a human being, just as any other. I do need sleep. However, there are more important things that I could be doing..." His eyes focused on the man in front of him, who he was now face to face with. L slowly lifted a finger to point directly at him, "such as, catching you, of course."

Light glared at the hand in front of him and rolled his eyes. "I'm almost getting tired of saying it, but I'll say it as many times as I need to. I'm — "

" — not Kira. I know." L finished the sentence for him. It was the little things that really made him able to get under Light's skin. This was one of them.

Light rattled the chains in reply. "Clearly you don't." He plopped his upper body back down against the bed, folding his arms over his chest and staring blankly up at the ceiling. He wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, was he?

L continued to balance himself awkwardly on the bed. It was his usual sitting position, but it wasn't as easy to maintain with Light taking up most of the space. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, almost bouncing with an abundance of energy on the bed. Light's given up on sleeping now.

"Ok. I'll give. What do you want." Light spoke more flatly than inquisitively. 

"To tell you the truth, I have something known as 'Insomnia'. I'm sure you've heard of it?"

Light's mouth gaped in faux-shock. "No... really?! Wow... I would have never known! You really fooled me." 

Truthfully, the sarcastic reaction was welcomed, since L was sure Light would have never played along in this same way when he was Kira. It was certain that this Light was much more genuine with his emotions, aside from faking pleasantries. The possibility that even these little interactions could be a facade was one that wasn't necessarily ruled out, but certainly not considered a priority theory.

L couldn't resist playing along a little more now that he's gotten Light's attention. "Ah, so you've noticed. Yes, it's a bit of a mild case..."

Just as L suspected (or maybe hoped), that was the line that got Light to immediately bolt upright and scoff. " _ Mild!? _ Really? I'm not sure that's the word I would use."

L couldn't phrase it quite right, but these genuine interactions were undoubtedly something he cherished. He wouldn't admit it of course, especially not with the knowledge that it could all potentially be a facade. However, he was content with holding this comfort inside.

"My point is..." L trailed off to make sure that Light was ready to be steered back on topic again. "I can't go to sleep as easily as someone so self-disciplined as you can, Light. However, I may be more inclined if I felt that I've been able to accomplish something productive."

This caught Light's interest. Not only did L casually slip in some information about himself, but he was being presented with an opportunity to achieve some actual sleep. Unfortunately, his amber eyes quickly lost their glow as Light realized what L was implying. "I'm not confessing to being Kira in order to get some sleep. I don't care how tired I am."

"Yes, a confession would be the most ideal outcome, I must admit." L inched closer on the bed, noticing that Light had now scooched over a little after becoming more alert. "I'm sure you're not that desperate, though. That said, I would be just as interested to learn anything that you would be willing to supply. Whether or not I believe you is a different matter."

Light locked eyes with L, almost hesitant, but strongly considering his offer. "That depends. What are your conditions exactly?" It was almost infuriating that he had to bargain for sleep, but at this point, he really didn't care.

"All I ask is that you tell me some information about yourself. It doesn't matter what. Any information is helpful in determining whether or not you are — no,  _ were _ conscious of being Kira." L shuffled his feet as he spoke, crouching down into a more contained position with his arms and head resting against his knees. "Depending on your statements, it may even help lower your Kira percentage. This isn't entirely for my own benefit."

Light hated the idea of playing into L's hands, but he couldn't deny that the offer tempted him - especially that last part. Clearing his name and getting some sleep at the cost of some information... it was very appealing, with little downside. The reward far outweighed the risk. It would be wise for Light to accept the offer; he didn’t really have much to lose.

"Okay," Light sighed, now brushing the blanket off of him and looking directly at L, "what do you want to know?" 

"Anything." L stated. Light paused, waiting to see if L would follow this up with any additional details, but it became apparent that there was nothing more to be said. Anything was game.

"Alright, let's see..." Light thought hard, scanning through every bit of himself in order to find something interesting that L could latch onto and simultaneously prove Light's innocence. "The reason I got into tennis... was because of my little sister, Sayu. She was annoyed at her older brother staying inside all day and studying, and insisted on me playing with her. We tried various games and sports, but for some reason, tennis stuck."

"Interesting... have you considered that this may have actually been an attempt on Sayu's end to get you out of the house for your own sake rather than her own selfish motivations?" L asked bluntly, making no attempt to mask the gears turning in his mind. Light couldn't help but wonder whether this small tidbit made his Kira percentage rise or fall.

"A little." Light admitted, knowing that L was asking for his own personal opinion on this theory. "It's hard to say, considering how young she was back then. I think both motivations are just as likely. Can we sleep now."

"Not yet — have you ever had any other interests, besides studying and tennis?" L considered asking Watari to bring in some dessert due to how ingrained he was in this Q&A session. He couldn't deny finding every miniscule detail of Light Yagami to be very fascinating - like he was a puzzle waiting to be put together. Maybe he was impossible to put together. Maybe he would never get all of the little pieces, but it was still intriguing to fit them in place.

"Well..." Light scratched his head, looking away from L. "I have, but it's... it's not anything serious. Besides, I get the feeling that telling you will only raise my Kira percentage."

"You won't know unless you say it." An honest reply. This demeanor was one that L was not used to seeing. Light almost appeared to be embarrassed - which was impossible for someone as deceptive and confident as he was known to be. He had to be planning something.

"I guess you're right. Well, if I weren't expected to be a police officer or a detective someday, then I had thought a few times about getting into theatre." Light finally turned back to face L and scanned his face for any sort of reaction. "Well?"

"Hm. 2 percent."

"Huh?"

"Your Kira percentage. It has been raised by 2 percent. You were right." L only started to smile when he saw an annoyed look form on Light's face. "I would have never guessed that Light, a multi-faceted actor, would have an interest in theatre. It doesn't suit you."

"Oh, haha Ryuzaki, I didn't know you were fluent in sarcasm too," Light pouted, but ultimately accepted this karma, "anyways, it's not like that. This type of acting is different."

"Is it because you would be acting as a malleable character as opposed to acting as a made up version of yourself?" L's question was sent off faster than a bullet, never slow on forming a hypothesis when it involved the mind of Light Yagami.

"Something like that." Light shrugged, not willing to reveal anything that would boost his Kira percentage even higher.

"One more question." L spoke sharply, maintaining Light's attention before he could get comfortable enough to attempt sleeping again. The atmosphere grew heavy, every corner of the room feeling as intense as gravity itself. L's eyes were like daggers shooting directly into Light's soul, but he was unable to look away. It felt as if he had become an ant, and L was the little kid holding a magnifying glass over him. He momentarily wondered if he had somehow accidentally said something very crucial to the Kira case.

"Alright... go on." Light sucked in his breath, unable to look away, almost afraid that breaking eye contact would somehow lead to him being sentenced to death and tried as Kira.

"Are you gay?" 

"... Wh — "

"I've had this theory for a while now, but the theatre confession has only solidified it," L continued, not yet allowing Light to interject, "you don't seem to have any interest in girls. You show no affection towards your girlfriend - who is a model, and therefore exceptionally attractive by societal standards."

"I'm — What. I'm not gay, L."

"Ryuzaki." L corrected.

"Whatever, the point is, this theory is far out there and has nothing to do with whether or not I was Kira."

"You cross your legs when you sit." L pointed out, tacking another piece of evidence onto the list.

"So!? You sit like a gargoyle, what does my sitting style have anything to do with this?" Light felt his voice rise slightly, unsure about what aspect of this conversation made him feel the need to defend himself so vehemently.

“Then, do you not feel anything for other boys?” L lurched an inch closer, his face practically pressed up against Light’s own. He was studying him, eager to see any sort of reaction.

“No, of course not.” The mask was back up. Light didn’t even flinch - it became so easy to flip through his emotions. All he had to do was tell himself he wouldn’t get flustered by L’s actions, and then it was done. 

L pouted. “I don’t believe you. Your tone changed. I know you well enough to know when you’re lying.”

“Am I?” Light instantly shot back, only moving his face closer to L’s, unable to lose this game of wits. “Do you really know me at all, Ryuzaki? How can you be so sure of anything? Let’s say you’re right, that all of my actions are so carefully constructed. That I’m wearing a mask at all times. How can you be so sure that anything I’ve said was true?”

“Because you’re giving yourself away.” L stated, forcing Light’s body to tense. Their foreheads were so close that he could almost feel Light’s facial muscles twitch. “Even this, right now. You’re giving yourself away, and you know it. That’s why I’m so sure.”

“That’s not true. You’re only perceiving it this way.” Light swallowed uneasily, only revealing himself even further. 

“I know that you’re the first Kira. I’ll make my point quick before you can interrupt me — you have changed since then. I’m almost 70% positive that this isn’t a facade. However, that isn’t to say that you never put up facades. You do.” L closed his eyes momentarily, as if to recall in his mind all the specific instances of this, then picked up where he left off, “yet lately, it seems almost as if you are unable to put up a facade around me. I can’t help but think it could be related to my theory… since this is the first time I’ve seen you attempt to lie to me in a considerable amount of time. What could you so desperately be trying to hide, I wonder?”

“I’m not hiding anything!” Light’s voice escalated as he threw blankets off his body, “I’m not kira, I’m not gay, and I’m  _ not _ falling for you!”

Silence filled the room. The only sound that could be heard was the patchwork breathing due to the aftermath of Light’s small outburst. L could feel his breath like a ghost against the skin of his neck. It was this side of Light, the side of him that had all of his buttons pushed, that L enjoyed the most. 

“...You’re falling for me?” L hesitantly asked, somehow oblivious to all of the evidence that corroborated this line of thinking.

Light only sighed in response, his walls building up and his body sinking back down into the blankets, turning on his side to face away from L. “Go to sleep, Ryuzaki.”

“Wait — ” L found himself saying out loud, but unsure of what words were supposed to come out next. He was never the impulsive type, he never acted or moved without thinking it through first, unlike Light. L didn’t even have enough time to process what he was feeling, or why he was feeling it. He only knew that he didn’t want this conversation to end just yet. 

When L’s hand brushed alongside Light’s shoulder, something told him that the feeling was mutual. There was an invisible hum of electricity that coursed through him from that simple touch. It simultaneously made him want to remove his hand immediately, but also felt that it was glued in place - like removing it was impossible now. L couldn’t help but think Light felt the same way, as he noticeably tensed at the unexpected touch. Maybe it was because he knew how uncharacteristic it was of L, maybe he didn’t want L to remove his hand. Either way, the both remained frozen in place.

“Wait…” was all L managed to choke out yet again, giving himself the space to process these thoughts more clearly. “It seems that… you were desperate enough to give a confession, after all.”

Light’s shoulders finally relaxed underneath L’s hand, letting loose all of the tension that was building up inside. “Yeah… I guess I was,” ended up being the only thing Light could think to say.

“I suppose this is the part where I give you my reply.” L stated.

Light shifted his position slightly, not turning enough to fully face L, and definitely not enough for L to remove his hand from its placement. “I suppose it is.” Light mimicked. 

“There is… a 99 percent chance…” Here it comes. Light braced himself for what he undoubtedly thought was his new, revised Kira percentage. “A 99 percent chance… that I like you too.”

Light blinked. “What’s the other 1 percent?”

“That is rooted in whether or not you are Kira.” L explained.

Considering the fact that Light was fairly confident in not being Kira, he very much liked those odds. He removed his arm from underneath the blankets and brought his hand up to touch L’s own, fully turning over so that he was once again facing L. “That’s great, Ryuzaki… can we please go to sleep now?”

L grinned, from both the soft touch of Light’s hand, and the kitten-like yawn that he probably didn’t mean to release. 

“Yes, I think we can.”

♡


End file.
